ISABELLA

      "This can't be happening," I told myself as I heard the front door slam and Omari call out to me.

      My eyes snapped to the bedroom door and my heart beat out of my chest as I tried to get rid of the evidence of what I'd been doing. The handful of papers and cardboard I'd been holding were thrust into a bag and shoved under the bed. Just as I finished kicking everything under the bed Omari walked in and paused, giving me a suspicious look.

      "What have you been doing?" he inquired.

      "Huh?" I asked before snapping with, "nothing why? Are you hungry?"

      "No," he answered slowly as he glanced at me with concern. "Are you alright?"

      "Peachy," I replied with a large smile that made my lips quiver.

      "Okay," he replied elongating the two syllable word before heading to the bathroom for a shower.

      "You know what?" I called out as I grabbed the jeans I'd worn the night before and pulled them on. "I just remembered that I have something to do...something for school and so I'm going to go do that and I'll be back later."

      "I thought classes just started yesterday," Omari questioned, sticking his head out of the shower stall.

      "Um, they did," I said thinking quickly as I paused the motion of pulling my shirt over my head, "but I have to pick up my text books!" I added feeling happy with my quick thinking. I grabbed my sneakers and stuffed my bare feet into them before grabbing my car keys, purse, and all but running out of the house.

PAULA

      "What the hell is wrong with you?" I asked Isabella over the line.

      She'd called me about five minutes ago damn near hysterical but refused to let me speak to Omari. Something was going on and I wanted to know what. If I had to catch a flight out to Miami that was going to be someone's ass. Shit, I have a class in three hours.

      "I think I've made a huge mistake," she whispered.

      "Why the hell are you whispering?" I asked her before realizing what she'd said, "And what the hell have you done? Please tell me it's not what I think it is."

      "Well that depends on what you think it is," she replied jokingly but I could hear the distress in her tone.

      "Tell me that this has nothing to do with William," I demanded.

      "It has nothing to do with Will. I haven't even spoken to the man," she replied.

      "Then what's going on? Why are you all stressed?" I questioned.

      "Are you sitting down?" she asked me.

      "Should I be?" I asked.

      "I think so," she answered solemnly before explaining her situation.

OMARI

      "You're up?" I asked Isabella shocked as I climbed out of the bed.

      Normally I was up and damn near dressed before her but there she was walking out of the bathroom fully dressed in a cropped Henley, yoga pants, and colorful flats. She stopped short, as if surprised to see me awake. It didn't last long because a wide smile formed on her lips as she ran her hands over her low ponytail.

      "Good morning sweetie," she replied and leaned down to kiss me quickly before heading over to her jewelry box.

      "Good morning," I replied as I watched her for a moment.

      She quickly pinned a simple pair of pear shaped studs in her ear and completely bypassed her engagement ring and wedding band for an elaborate eternity band. That calmed my nerves. At least I didn't have to worry about her acting strangely because she was seeing someone else, but that didn't alleviate the fact that something was going on with her.

      "So why are you up so early?" I asked as I made my way from the bed to the bathroom.

      "I have an early class," she replied.

      I frowned at that. Lately she'd been using her classes as excuses to just disappear but I knew for a fact that her earliest class was at nine o'clock. It was only six fifteen. Something was definitely wrong.

      "I thought we were going to be honest with each other?" I asked her after I spit a mouthful of toothpaste in the sink.

      "We did," she replied as she shrugged her messenger bag over her shoulder.

      "Then why are you lying to me?" I asked her, turning my dark brown eyes on her vivid blue pair.

      That stopped her short. She squared her shoulders and asked me what I was talking about.

      "Come on," I told her. "A couple of days ago you told me that you were leaving to get textbooks and came back here with not one book. You're stressed out lately but won't tell me what's going on. It can't possibly be school since that just started and I haven't done anything...have I?"

      She sighed and shook her head, "No Omari. You haven't done anything. I'm just going through some things right now and I want to handle it internally. I promise, when I figure everything out I'll let you in on what's going on."

      "Is it serious?" I asked her, walking back into the bedroom.

      She looked away from me for a moment and then turned her attention back to me. Unshed tears filled her eyes and she nodded her head in the universal sign of yes. "It's pretty damn serious. Life changing, even."

      "Babe-"

      "Just give me some time Omari," she asked, her eyes pleading for me to agree.

      I nodded and watched her leave. I'd give her some time to get her bearings but I wouldn't wait forever. If there was an issue that was bothering her this much, I should be aware; especially if that something is a matter that would affect our life together.

ISABELLA

      I sat in the doctor's office nervous as hell. I'd been avoiding Omari like the plague and I know he was getting fed up with this. He wanted me to talk to him...to let him in but I couldn't jump to conclusions without getting a second opinion. Just as I was about to get up and start picking with things my doctor came in with her eyes glued to the folder in her hands. No doubt it was a simplified version of my medical history along with the blood pressure test the nurse had taken before leaving me to my own devices.

      "So Isabella," the doctor replied with a bright smile as she sat down. "What seems to be the problem?"

      I licked my dry lips before explaining the reason for my visit. "Well I want some blood work done."

      "Is there any particular reason why?" she asked curiously.

      "Well I realized about two weeks ago that I hadn't had my period for a while. If my period was on a normal cycle I'm sure I would have noticed earlier but I've always had the type cycle where I'd either skip a month or the time would jump from me getting my period at the beginning of the month to the end of it," I told her.

      "Do you think it's a possibility that you're pregnant?" the doctor asked me.

      I sighed and said, "There's always the possibility but if I am I'm wondering how. My husband and I have only been intimate for a few months and I've been on birth control since before we consummated our relationship."

      "Well birth control isn't one hundred percent accurate," she offered.

      "But he's always worn a condom as well," I told her. "We're not ready for kids right now."

      "Yes, the two of you are young but if you are pregnant then you're going to have to get ready," she offered.

      "I don't think you understand," I told her. "I'm only eighteen and I'm still in college. My husband has a busy career and right now is not the time. That's why we took the precautions."

      "There is a possibility that you aren't pregnant," she replied to pacify me. "Let's not jump to any conclusions until we find out the results of the blood test."

OMARI

      "For real? I'll see if Bella wants to go," I told Jarell as he told me about the Beyonce concert that was supposed to be coming to Miami in the next month.

      Whatever Jarell was talking about was ignored when I walked into the apartment and saw Isabella sitting on the couch with a dazed look on her face. She was staring at the television, blinking slowly, but the TV was off. Dried tear stains were tracked down her face and I knew then that something was definitely wrong with her.

      "Yo, let get at you later J," I told him, not waiting for him to answer as I hung up the phone.

      "Baby?" I called out to her and she broke down in tears.

      "What's wrong?" I asked alarmed as I enveloped her in my arms and rocked her softly as I ran my hand down her back.

      She didn't answer. Her fists just clutched my shirt as she cried into my chest. Her body shook from her sobs and I felt helpless. How was I supposed to make things better if she wouldn't tell me what's going on.

      "Izzie? Come on sweetie, tell me what's wrong," I whispered in her ear.

      "I we-went to th-the," she tried to get out between sobs.

      "You went where?" I questioned as I pulled her into my lap.

      "Th-the doc-doc," she started but couldn't get it out because of her sobs.

      "You went to the doctor's?" I questioned. "For what?"

      "I'm pregnant," she got before continuing to cry her eyes out. My mind froze and my hands stopped moving as I tried to process what she was telling me. "What am I going to do?" she asked hysterically. "I'm not ready to be a mother?"

      "What are you saying?" I asked her knowing good and damn well she wasn't thinking about killing my baby...our child.

      "I'm still in school Omari," she replied as she glanced at me with a pleading look in her eye that made my heart hurt. "And I don't know the first thing about raising a child."

      "You'll learn," I told her. "We'll learn."

      She sniffled, trying to get herself under control. "I want a third opinion."

      "Third?" I asked.

      "I did an at home pregnancy test first," she admitted.

      "And you're just now telling me?" I asked her.

      "I wanted to be sure," she replied as she pulled away from me and left the couch. I watched her walk over to the large floor to ceiling window and looked out the glass as she held herself. "Why now? Why us?"

      "I don't know," I answered honestly as she leaned against the glass.

      "We did everything right," she said, although I know she was speaking more towards herself than to me. "I'm on birth control, which I take regularly, and we've always used condoms so why us?"

      "This isn't necessarily a bad thing Izzie," I told her.

      "How is it not bad?" she asked as she turned around, throwing all her anguish on me. "I'm not ready for this and I don't want to be pregnant."

      "So what are you saying?" I asked getting pissed but trying to keep calm seeing as she distraught at the moment. "You want to kill our baby?"

      "Did I say that?" she snapped angrily. "Did I say I wanted a fucking abortion?"

      "No but-"

      "Then don't put words in my mouth Omari," she hissed.

      "You know what?" I asked her rhetorically. "I'm going to go take a shower."

      "Oh, you're leaving now?" she asked in a silent tone that, for some reason, made me a little nervous.

      "No-"

      "See this is why I don't want this. You're already trying to dodge shit now that things aren't going smoothly," she spat.

      "That's all I fucking hear from you; I and me," I yelled right back. "Well you know what? There is no I right now. This is an US situation."

      "Omari-"

      "No!" I snapped. "I'm going to talk now," I told her. "I listened to you moan and groan about how you weren't ready for this and about how this baby ruined your life but HELLO we're both in this together. That isn't just your baby, it's mine too. You aren't the only one affected by this either."

      "No, but it's my body," she tossed at me. "I'm the one who's going to be going through an emotional rollercoaster because of this. I'm the one who's going to have to gain the weight. You're not the one who's going to go through labor Omari. All that shit is on me okay? Once this baby is here that's when real life happens. We can't give it back because it cries too much. When this child gets sick we're going to have to be up at the wee hours of the morning regardless of what we have to do later on that day. This is a lifestyle change so excuse me if I'm not jumping for joy right now."

      "Hello?" Paula's voice asked over the line.

      "Yo, talk to your friend," I told her.

      "Omari?" she asked curiously.

      "I swear to God Paula," I started, "If I didn't love her I'd ring her neck."

      "She's pregnant," she said solemnly.

      "You knew?" I questioned.

      "Please, this is me. That girl hasn't gone through anything I don't know about," she started. "I'm going to call her cell now. Just give her a little time."

      "If she kills our child-"

      "She won't," Paula replied with certainty.

      "How do you know?" I asked her knowing good and well that Isabella hadn't gone all hysterical on me because she was overjoyed about being pregnant.

      "Because I know her," she said with absolute finality. "She's tripping right now and is talking out her ass but she'd never kill her child."

      "Aight, thank you," I told her before she hung up.

      "No problem," she answered before ending the call.

ISABELLA

      I locked myself in the room Omari had dubbed as mine and wrapped myself in a warm cashmere blanket as I tried to think things over. This was the last thing I had expected. I'd always wanted kids but sometime in my mid to late twenties; not in my late teen years. This wasn't something I was ready for. How can I be a mother when I've never really taken care of myself? In the midst of all my thoughts my phone started blaring and by the custom tone I knew it was Paula.

      "Hey Paula," I replied softly as I answered the phone.

      "What the hell is wrong with you?" she demanded.

      I sucked my teeth and said, "Omari called you, huh?"

      "You damn right he did," she replied not feeling bad at all about interfering. "Why does that man think you're going to abort my future niece or nephew?"

      "Because he's an ass who doesn't listen," I replied. Yes I was having a hard time wrapping my mind around this and no, I didn't particularly want to be pregnant right now but not once had I said I was going to have, or even contemplated getting, an abortion.

      "What's your problem Is? You knew you were going to have to produce a child anyway," Paula threw out there.

      "Yes, to fulfill the contract," I replied dryly. "That's the fucking problem! Everything that has happened is because of this business deal. You know marriages end everyday; marriages that developed between two people who spent time together and joined in love. Omari and I weren't like that. We were forced together. Had we had the choice I doubt we would even know each other. We haven't even been married a year and already we're bringing a baby into the world Paula and I'm scared okay," I told her admitting verbally the fears I harbored. "What if, at the end of this, Omari decides that he fulfilled his obligations and he no longer wants to be in this relationship with me? Then what? Am I supposed to just take child support and grin and bare it? I don't need child support; I need a man who's going to be there for his child."

      "Do you really believe that Omari wouldn't be there for his kid?" Paula asked me. "You know him better than I do and we both know he isn't that person."

      "Well I didn't think my father was the type to sell me out for money but he did it anyway," I pointed out. "I'm also sure that Omari wasn't expecting his father to do him the way he did either. Shit changes with time Paula and I can't do this on my own."

      "You're not on your own," she replied lightly. "You have me, your parents, and whether or not you believe it you have Omari as well."

      "Now," I replied bitterly as I thought back to the statistics of single mothers having to do it on their own. Yes I had money but money wasn't emotional comfort.

      "You're having a child by this man Is," Paula started, "he isn't going anywhere."

      I was quiet for a moment, "What if I'm a horrible mother?"

      "Is," she replied in a tone that told me to stop that train of thought.

      "No Paula," I stopped her. "Just hear me out," I pleaded. "I've never been responsible for anything in my life. When I couldn't train my puppy I gave it away. My cat is more my mother's pet than mine. What if I screw up?"

      "You're not going to screw up Is," she pacified me.

      "You don't know that," I argued as tears slowly ran down my face. "Come on Paula. Be real. I've never held a child, changed a diaper...hell I've never even baby sat. I don't know the first thing when it comes to a baby. If I ever hurt this child I don't think I'd ever forgive myself."

      "Don't talk like that," she said forcefully. "You're going to be a great mother. You know why?"

      "Why?" I asked as I grabbed a tissue and blew my nose.

      "Because you're going to love this child more than life itself. You're going to be willing to give him or her the very air you breathe if they ask for it. You are one of the most giving people I know so please don't stress yourself out over this," she requested softly.

      "I have no idea how to raise a child and I don't want to screw up. This isn't like failing a class," she told me with anxiety in her tone. "If I make a mistake there's no do overs."

      "Life is all about mistakes and making the most of the situation. So you might not be June Cleaver but you're Isabella Deveraux and you'll make it work. As long as you're looking out for you're child's best interest you can't go too far left field. And okay, so you don't know the basics but you have the next eight or nine months to learn. Just...just don't push Omari away," I told her.

      "You think I can do this, that I'm fit to raise a child?" she asked and my heart hurt from the overwhelming uncertainty in her voice.

      "Yes Izzie, I do."